The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-06-12
TROPICAL PEACHES.
Is the Peen-to n sport?-SeedIings from
this Variety.

Is the Peen-tO II SpOft!-seedhnSs Iro"
this Variety.
James Mott in Orlando Reporter
The range of the different kinds of
fruit grown here is very extensive
There are many that have come to us
from tropical countries, and there are
some that may be called semi-tropical,
that do very well here.
Peaches have been grown here with
some degree of success since the early
settlement of the county. The variety
that was first brought here, although
native of n warm country, was found to
succeed not nearly so well in our South
Florida climate as it did farther North,
where there was more frost.
In time the Peen-to peach came to us,
and we find that it belongs to a family
quite different from the old FLORIDA
peach" there is a distinction both in or
ganiZation and habit. The Peen-to is
nearly perennial; its season of rest dur
ing winter is very short compared with
the other; it does not require frost to
bring about a profuse circulation of sap,
as is the case with the other, and it may
be classed as a semi-trOpical tree.
In all fruit bearing trees, and in many
that produce only seeds, when the seed
is planted, the tendency is to sport
not to produce exactly the same fruit.
The tree itself may be different i'm habit,
character of foliage, etc One OF our
semi-tropical fruits, the mediar, or ia
pan plum shows this trait in a very
marked manner. Yet, in planting the
seed, the process, or part of it, by which
all new varieties of fruit are produced,
we may not get a single tree, among a
hundred seeds planted, that is an inn
provement on the parent. There may be
one that is an improvements; if SO, by
Il If
we may keep up this Improvement in
definitely.
1t is said of the Peen-to peach that il
is a sport, having no resemblance to Its
parent; that the fruit of the tree it came
from was oblong, instead of being flat
and peculiarly shaped, ike the fruit ii
produces here. This is simply hearsay
| and | only give it for what it is worth
| Again, it is said that this peach, when
| planted, always comes up true to itself
| and | think it has been the same for
| many generations. But an old adage
says there are exceptions to genera
| rules" When MIR. A. l. Bidwell, oul
| townsman, five years ago, planted sew
| eral seeds of this peach, it departed from
| this staid behavior that it had been giveT
| credit for, and gave several sports" II
seemed to go back to blood, and right
| good blood il is, too, that was in it before
| it came here, and eff the nine trees
| transplanted when one year old, six are
| producing round or oblOng fruit. quite
different in size. color. time of ripenins
and flavor, and there is n positive I'M
| provernent in the blood it has brought
with il. One tendency of the parent
| tree-to bloom out of seasons lost, rs
| the new tree blossoms in the spring. and
| during the three years that the trees
have been bearing, there has been no in
| jury from frost.
| We who are watching more closely
| are sanguine of its adaptability here, ana
we are anxious to have all lovers of fin,
| fruit, ..and those engaged in genealogical
| pursuits, await themselves of the oppOr
| tunity of seeing these trees now, as they
are loaded W it'll their beautiful, luscious
| fruit.
We have been gathering from the ear
| Her variety for several days past. The
others are a few days later, and so on
| until July.